Where to post your startup on Reddit (without a ban)

Post in subreddits built for showing work (r/SideProject, r/SaaS, r/indiehackers, r/alphaandbetausers, r/roastmystartup) and in the weekly share threads of stricter ones like r/startups. Write it as a story with something useful in it, put the link at the end, and reply to every comment. Read each subreddit's rules first; they differ and they change.

Subreddits where sharing your product is allowed

These communities exist for people who build things, so a post about your product is on topic. Each has its own rules about links, flair and how often you can post, shown in the sidebar.

• r/SideProjectThe main subreddit for showing something you built. Say what it does and how you made it.
• r/SaaSFounders talking about building and selling software. Posts with numbers and lessons do best.
• r/indiehackersSolo founders and small teams sharing progress and asking for feedback.
• r/alphaandbetausersMade for finding early testers. Say exactly what you want tested.
• r/roastmystartupBlunt feedback on your product and landing page. Go in ready to hear it.
• r/startupsLarge and strict. Promotion belongs in its recurring share thread, not in a post of its own.

Then go where your customers are

Maker subreddits are full of other makers. They give feedback and a few early users, but your real customers are in the subreddit for their job or hobby: accountants, teachers, climbers, Shopify sellers. Those communities are much stricter about promotion, so there you answer questions, and mention your product only when it's the honest answer to what someone asked.

How to write a post that isn't removed

1. Lead with the story or the lesson, not the product: what problem you had, what you tried, what you learned building the fix.
2. Include something a reader can use even if they never click: numbers, a mistake to avoid, a template.
3. Put the link once, near the end, or in a comment if the subreddit prefers that.
4. Say you're the maker. Pretending to be a happy customer gets found out and gets you banned.
5. Ask one specific question: is the pricing clear, would you pay for this, what's confusing on the home page.

How to avoid a self-promotion ban

• Use an account with history. Comment for a week or two before your first post; brand-new accounts that only post links are filtered automatically in many subreddits.
• Don't paste the same post into ten subreddits on the same day. Rewrite it for each one and space them out.
• Keep your product a small share of what you post. If every submission is your own link, moderators treat the account as spam.
• Never use a second account to upvote or praise your own post.
• If a post is removed, message the moderators politely and ask what to change. Don't repost it.

What to do after you post

Stay for the first two hours and answer everything, including the harsh comments. Fix the small things people point out and say so in the thread. A thread where the maker shows up reads very differently from one where they vanished.

Reddit is one channel. For the rest, see how to get your first users and our list of free startup directories.

Frequently asked questions

Can I post my startup on r/startups?

Not as a normal post in most cases. It limits promotion to a recurring share thread. Check the pinned posts and the rules in the sidebar for the current thread.

How much karma do I need to post?

It varies and most subreddits don't publish the number. A few weeks of genuine comments is usually enough to get past the automatic filters.

Is Reddit good for getting first users?

For feedback and the first few dozen users, yes, especially for products makers themselves would use. It rarely becomes a steady source of traffic unless you stay active in the community.